Neoregelia plant named ‘Malbec’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Neoregelia  plant named ‘Malbec’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; broad glossy dark green-colored lower leaves that are tinted with dark purple; broad glossy dark purple-colored upper leaves; and good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia macrosepala.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MALBEC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia plant, botanically known as Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia macrosepala, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Malbec’.

The new Neoregelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Princeton, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Neoregelia plants with uniquely colored leaves.

The new Neoregelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in Princeton, Fla. of Neoregelia carolinae ‘Sunrise’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia macrosepala, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Neoregelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Neoregelia plant by offsets in a controlled environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Neoregelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Neoregelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Malbec’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Malbec’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Broad glossy dark green-colored lower leaves that are tinted         with dark purple.     -   3. Broad glossy dark purple-colored upper leaves.     -   4. Good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Sunrise’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia are denser than plants of         ‘Sunrise’.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia have shorter and broader leaves         than plants of ‘Sunrise’.     -   3. Plants of the new Neoregelia are more tolerant to high         temperatures and rain than plants of ‘Sunrise’.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia have broader leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia and the male parent selection         differ in leaf color as plants of the male parent selection have         green-colored leaves tinted with pink.

Plants of the new Neoregelia can be compared to plants of the Neoregelia ‘Royal Burgundy’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Princeton, Fla., plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Royal Burgundy’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia were more arching than         leaves of plants of ‘Royal Burgundy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Royal Burgundy’ differed in         leaf color as plants of ‘Royal Burgundy’ had purple-colored         leaves.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia maintained color under         low light conditions whereas leaves of plants of ‘Royal         Burgundy’ became green in color under low light conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Neoregelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Neoregelia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Malbec’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Malbec’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe flowering plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered greenhouse in Princeton, Fla. under commercial Neoregelia production practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 32° C. and light levels averaged 3,200 foot-candles. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia     macrosepala ‘Malbec’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Neoregelia carolinae ‘Sunrise’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Neoregelia macrosepala, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By offsets.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at 30° C. to             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 days at 30° C. to             32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three to             four months at 30° C. to 32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to             four months at 18° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; yellow to             tan in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching             growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming             outwardly arching with development; plants readily produce             uniform offsets; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 42 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 mm.         -   Stem texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Stem color.—Close to NN155C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; simple; sessile,             clasping.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate; spinose.         -   Length.—About 27 cm.         -   Width, mid-section.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Width, base.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; longitudinally ribbed.         -   Luster.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Lower leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A tinted             with close to 187A; venation, close to 187B. Lower leaves,             lower surface: Darker than 147A tinted with close to 187B;             venation, close to 187C. Upper leaves, upper surface: Close             to 187B to 187C; towards the base, close to 156C; venation,             close to 187B. Upper leaves, lower surface: Close to 187C,             towards the base, close to 156D; venation, close to 187C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal flat-topped compact corymb             located inside the leaf rosette; about 62 flowers develop             per inflorescence.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about ten to twelve             weeks after planting; plants flower naturally during the             spring in Florida.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one day on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 5.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elongate. Color: Close to 91B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 91B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 91C. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D; towards the apex,             close to 92B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D;             towards the apex, close to 91C.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Shape: Elliptical.             Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Texture:             Membraneous. Color: Close to 157D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 145B to             145D. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B; towards the base,             close to 157D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 155B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect to somewhat             outward and curving upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to NN155C.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length: About             1.7 cm; partially adnate to the petals. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length:             About 4 mm. Anther color: Close to NN155B. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158D.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             3.4 cm. Stigma shape: Oval, elongated. Stigma color: Close             to 155D. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to             NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155B.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production have not been observed             on plants of the new Neoregelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about     37° C. -   Interior & garden performance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have     been observed to have good postproduction longevity under interior     conditions and to have good garden performance. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Neoregelia plants has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Neoregelia plant named ‘Malbec’ as illustrated and described. 